Preconception of a Person

Beware of the preconception. A preconception is an expectation that prevents your mind from staying open and receptive. Like its relative, the assumption, the preconception is an enemy to listening. Both problems seem to prey on people in long-term relationships.
A preconception is a notion that just because a person has behaved one way before, he or she will act that way again. If a person blusters once, for example, you may well jump to the conclusion that the individual will display the same behavior during the next negotiation. “Oh, he’s just that way” may be an accurate statement of fact. But if that conclusion is used as an explanation for every outburst, it may well mask the reality that the blustering party is quite angry at some aspect of your behavior. The blusterer may be genuinely frustrated this time at not being able to reach a deal or may be reacting to pressures from places not related to the negotiation. So how do you fight the preconception? Greet a person as though you are meeting him or her for the first time. Practice on your receptionist or whomever you first see at work. Stop. Turn. Look the person in the eye. Ask, “How are you today?” And listen, really listen, to the answer. If you greet people as though you are meeting them for the very first time, you will go a long way to conquering preconceptions.